February 21, 2007

SAVANNAH-SERENDIPITY

In 1983 I had an epiphany of getting healthy and chose bicycling as the method. I started in late July and progressed so I was able to do three century rides in September. I was invited to join a group of riders that were going to ride from Atlanta to Savannah following Sherman's March to the sea. We
would do this Thanksgiving weekend, and cover 267 miles in three days.

We rode in constant rain all day on Thanksgiving with temps around 40 to 50. We began in Conyers, through Madison, to Eatonton where we stopped on the courthouse square. In the vestibule of a small department store we sat to have our Thanksgiving dinner. Pat's wife Patti had driven there with a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. That meal is one of the most memorable and energy giving of my life.

Restored and warmed for a little while we continued on to Milledgeville. We stayed at a Super 8 motel. We went to our rooms, and pulled off our soaked riding gear. We showered and put on dry 'street clothes', and came out of our rooms to sunshine and no rain.

The next day was clear but not much warmer. Our route took us out of Milledgeville through Sanders and on to Louisville. We took a pause there to walk through a Civil War era cemetery, and to have lunch. We then pedaled on through to Millen, Georgia

Saturday morning it was 20 something when we got up and went out for breakfast. I remember the name was Judy's Cafe. I remarked "I sure hope it isn't my ex-wife. As we started, we faced a long uphill grade from the 'git-go'. That actually was a benefit because it got the blood flowing very quickly. As a cyclist you gripe about the uphills, but they provide some variety of ups and downs, lefts and rights. We were somewhere around Gulton when things got flat and straight for mile after mile. That caused us to celebrate when we finally had to turn. As we got closer to Savannah it became very pleasant temperature wise. I have vertigo, and as we came into the city we were faced with a bridge over Savannah river. This bridge was made of steel grating and my passage over it on the bike was more thrilling than I like.

We all stayed in a very nice B & B that had rooms over the old carriage house. For our dinner we went to Elizabeth's on 37th for some incredible food. The most memorable dish was the Key lime pie that I had. I learned that Key limes are pale yellow and that any green pies offered are 'bogus'. Years later I saw it featured in USA Today.

Now the SERENDIPITY part. I live in Grants Pass, Oregon now, and I have retail space in a crafters/gift mall in downtown........Savannah Faire (www.savannah-faire.com).

Since 1986 Crossroads Sign Company has been a family owned and operated metal
sign making business.
Our stock metal sign products and custom made steel and custom
made aluminum metal signs are of our own creation, with many novelty
and funny sign designs inspired and influenced by our loyal customers over
the past two decades.